Geography and Cartography at Eastern Michigan University

Eastern Michigan's Geography and Cartography program graduates earn $41,103 in their first year—about $2,600 more than the typical Michigan geography graduate and $2,400 above the national median. Among Michigan's nine programs, this lands in the 60th percentile, meaning it outperforms the state median and even exceeds Grand Valley State's outcomes by roughly $5,300. For a program at a school with an 81% admission rate, these results suggest solid market positioning.

The debt picture requires more attention. At $17,425, graduates carry meaningfully less than both the state median ($23,750) and national median ($22,657), which helps the program's overall value proposition. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 still means graduates are borrowing about five months of their first-year salary—manageable but not trivial for a field that typically doesn't command premium starting salaries.

The major caveat: with fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these numbers could shift considerably year to year. That said, the combination of above-average earnings and below-average debt in Michigan's geography market suggests this program delivers reasonable value. Parents should recognize their child will likely start in the low-$40,000 range—respectable for geography but not lucrative—with debt levels that shouldn't create financial strain if they stay employed in the field.